As technology advances, the old ways of training your team will fade away. While hands-on training is still a good way to train your installers and techs (and will never fully go away), there may not always be an opportunity to train when you need it.
Without a sufficient amount of calls to get the hours and experience required, it can take a long time to bring your workers up to speed. Bringing on skilled technicians is becoming increasingly difficult for most HVAC businesses and the world of HVAC is continuing to change with technological advancements.This is why you need to watch out for these 2019 HVAC training trends to upskill your techs.
Continue reading this article to learn more about how you can grow your team and their abilities through the latest training trends of 2019 for the HVAC industry.
Online HVAC Training
Not everyone wants, or has time, to go to a brick and mortar classroom, which is why online learning has been so revolutionary. Remote learning has been around for years now, and it isn’t news that you can earn HVAC certification credits, like CEU’s from home.
While this type of learning doesn’t replace shadowing a seasoned tech in the field, it’s certainly becoming more common, as it reduces the time and resources required to get learners up to speed on theory based knowledge. Distance-based education is allowing more people to get the training and credentials necessary to land a job in their desired field quickly.
As the demand for online learning increases, and more people get their online certificates, the demand for a more efficient method of hands-on training will also need to be met.
Online learning is only the beginning of how technology is being employed for training in the HVAC industry.
HVAC Training Trends – Going Virtual Reality
With HVAC being such an experiential based job, you may not immediately think of VR as a great training tool. But that’s changed. New HVAC VR technology mimics in-the-field training. HVAC businesses are seeing results with virtual reality because they can train their teams quicker instead of waiting for service calls to happen.
What does going virtual with HVAC training mean? How do businesses implement this training within their training programs?
Virtual (3D Simulation) Training for HVAC Businesses
Getting techs to show excitement over extra training might not seem easy, but when you introduce a game-like experience; it becomes possible. 3D simulators and virtual reality training is a “game-changer” for the industry because it delivers training content in an engaging manner that pretty much any tech can get on board with.
And there are multiple ways that you can use virtual reality to train your techs, both rookies and seasoned techs.
VR headsets aren’t necessarily needed for companies to take advantage of 3D simulation training. Of course, you can use a VR headset to dive into 3D simulations, but techs can also access 3D simulation content from a laptop or a desktop computer.
Types of Virtual Training Available
Solutions are available to take techs from the foundations of HVAC theory to expert-level troubleshooting techniques. Whether techs need to learn about simple applied sciences or they are ready to move on to more complex technical issues, there are virtual training options that can help.
Classes are available that can target the specific needs of each of your learners at their unique level. Learning progress is also easily trackable with a high-quality software program.
Benefits of Virtual HVAC Training
Not everyone is ready for the benefits of virtual reality training for HVAC, but the need is undeniable.
When companies aren’t able to keep up with client demands, or techs are working more hours than they can handle, then it signals that it’s time to start looking into technological advancements to help relieve the pressure on the industry.
The skills gap is real and ever-widening. Outdated training is holding up not just HVAC companies, but the entire skilled trades industry. Virtual Reality HVAC training can decrease the gap by training techs more quickly and efficiently which can help get the industry going again.
Safer than Real-World Scenarios
Untrained and undertrained workers will make mistakes, making the potential for injury and property damage significantly higher. Even under the watchful eye of a mentor – accidents can happen. Being able to virtually perform tasks until a certain level of comfort and proficiency is achieved means less errors will take place. Fewer mistakes means safer techs.
Cost Effectiveness
While sending techs to school might sound like an expensive option, VR training courses make it easy to keep costs down and productivity high. Since training times are not fixed, companies can choose when they want to work on upskilling and when they need to be working in the field. With the advancement of Virtual Reality technology in the recent years, VR gear is becoming increasingly affordably.
Faster Learning, Better Retention
Learning through a VR environment is one of the best ways to get experience without being in the actual scenario. Humans are visual, we are able to learn quicker and retain more of what we learn when we see it and when we participate in it.
The immersive learning that takes place through VR places the individual in a virtual environment that is interactive. During this time, the individual will feel as if they are getting experience in the “real world.” Studies have proven that VR learning surpasses traditional classroom learning in terms of learning retention. This means your techs actually remember more of what they learn.
Ability to Scale
When companies want to scale their team quickly, VR training gives them this ability. Instead of having willing learners waiting in line for an experience, VR can deliver the experience to them on- demand.
Staying on Top of the Latest HVAC Training Trends
Expectations for the HVAC industry to keep up with customer demand continues to grow. The need for more skilled workers is rapidly increasing, while experienced baby-boomers continue to exit the industry at a staggering pace.
Embracing new training technologies like the ones mentioned above are going to be key for HVAC companies to keep up with this demand, be successful in business and stay on trend for the coming years.
Now that you know about the HVAC training trends to watch in 2019, you can continue to grow your knowledge-base with additional articles on our site. Check out our blog to learn more about HVAC and other related topics.
